Corn planter



c. R. WHITE 2,103129 CORN PLANTER 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

Filed May l5' 1936 Dec. 21, 1937. C, RWHWE 2,103,129

CORN PLANTER 'Filed May 13, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 rwenlor mwmiw A Homey Patented Dec. 21, 1 937 CORN PLANTER Chester Raymond White, Mount Carmel, Ill., assignor of one-half to Max Miller, Mount Carmel, Ill.

Application May 13, 1936, Serial No. '19,580

1 Claim.

This invention relates to corn planters and more particularly to corn planters of the wireless check-row type.

An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless check-row corn planter with improved means for controlling the feeding of the seed from the planter shoes to the ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide ,the corn planter. with improved row marking lo means. l I

Further in accordance with the present invention means is provided whereby the driving means from the axle of the planterto the seed controlling :means is interrupted incidental to a raising of the frame carrying the seed boxes and lplanter shoes.

The invention together with its objects and .advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken-in connectionv with the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the application ofthe invention to a well-known vtype of wireless check-row corn planter.

Figure 2 is a top plan view further illustrating the application of the invention.

' ,Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a` perspective view of a shaft forming part of the mechanism for controlling the discharge of the seed from the shoes and the .movingof the row markers into and out of marking position.

Referring tothe drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that I have illustrated the invention as applied to a more or less conventional corn planter indicated generally as P.

Since theparticular type or structure of corn planter is of no material moment and does not form the essence of the invention, the same will 504 The planter is also provided, in a more or less conventional manner, with a transversely disposed shaft I5 on which are xed for rotationA therewith toothed wheels I6 meshing with the wheels l2 whereby the latter are rotated to drive 55 the seed delivery mechanisms and effect delivery of the seed at intervals into the .boots of the shoes 6.

Also as is somewhat conventional the shaft I5 as shown in Figure 2 is driven from the axle I1 of the planter through the medium of a suitably 5 provided chain and sprocket drive mechanism I8.

A salient feature of the present invention relsides in associating with each of the planter shoes 6 a row marker'l9 which latter, as shown in Figure 3, is of somewhat triangular frame-like struc- 10 ture having a head 20 that is adapted to be 'brought into engagement with the ground incidental to a dropping of va seed from theshoe 6 on to the ground so as to make a mark at one side of the hill being planted and thereby aid the l5 operator in forming parallel rows of hills',

As also clearly shown in Figure 3 each of the marking devices I9 has a vertical part 2l which isslidable in vertically spaced bearings 22 pro-` vided on the ends of`bracket arms 23 suitably-20 mounted on an adjacent shoe 6.

At their upper ends the markers I9 are connectedthrough the medium of links 25 with arms 26 flxed on the respective opposite ends of a shaft 2-1 suitably journaled transversely of the 25 frame of the planter.

For controlling the dropping of the seed from vthe shoes 6 onto the ground incidental to a lowering of themarkers I9, shaft 21 is also p'rovided with arms 28 which, through the medium 30 of links 29, are connected as indicated generally in Figure 1 with the valve operating mechanisms of the respective shoes 6 for the usual valves, not

shown, and with which the shoes 6 are provided.

For rocking the shaft 21 in a counter-clock- 35 wise direction (Figure 1)' to thereby, and at intervals, and simultaneously, lower the marking elements I9 into ground engaging position 4ancl open the valves of the shoes 6 to permit the dropping of the seed onto the ground I provide, as an improvement over the conventional check-row wire, an endless chain 32 trained over sprockets 33 and 34 provided on shafts 35 and 36. Shaft 35 is suitably journaled in a bearing bracket structure 31 disposed forwardly of the seed boxes 45 5 While shaft 36 is supportedtransversely of the planter above, and in parallelism with the axle I1 through the medium 'of suitable bearing brackets 38. I

Mounted onthe endless chain 32 at intervals 50 are laterally projecting transversely disposed abutment arms 39 which successively move into engagement with abutment arms 4l) provided on an intermediate portion of shaft 21 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4. 65

For driving the shaft et from the axle il' there is provided on the shaft 3G to turn therewith a gear dl that is in constant mesh with a gear d2 provided on the axle ll.

The sprocket 34 is loose on the shaft 3S and is shiftable lengthwise of the shaft. For placing the sprocket Sli in driven engagement with the axle there is provided on one end of the hub of the sprocket 3Q, and on one end of the hub of the.

gear ll complemental clutch elements [i3 as shown in Figure-2. The clutch elements @33 are normally interengaged through the medium of a coil spring lid disposed about one end of shaft 35 and confined between an adjacent bearing 3@ and an end of the hub of the sprocket From the above it will be apparent that when clutch 43 is engaged drive will be transmitted `from the axle to the shaft :i5 for driving the chain 32. As the chain moves in the path indicated by the arrow in Figure l the abutment 39 will successively engage the abutment arms it on the shaft 2l. Obviously as leach abutment 39 engages the abutment arms le shaft 2 will be caused to rock in a counter-clockwise direction. Rocking movement of the shaft in this direction will through the medium of the connection between the shaft and the markers I9 cause the markers to move downwardly into marking engagement with the ground, while through the medium of the connection between the shaft 21 and the valve operating mechanisms of the boots 6 the valves of these boots will be caused to open incidental to a downward movement of the marking elements I9 so as to permit the seed to drop from the shoe onto the ground. Thus the dropping of the seed and the marking of the ground are accomplished simultaneously.

It will be also understood, and as shown, that the planter is provided with means for raising and lowering the frame F which is conventional to this type of planter and which supports the seed boxes 5 and the shoes S, such means in the present instance being illustrated as consisting of a suitably supported rock shaft which is provided with an arm 52 that has a suitable resilient connection 53 with the frame F for raising and lowering the frame and associated parts incidental to a rocking movement of the shaft 45. Also for rocking the shaft 45 there is provided a suitable hand lever 49 provided with a suitable detent 5l) cooperablewith a suitablymounted rack segment 5I as is also conventional for holding the frame F at either raised or lowered position.

aroaiaa A further feature or" the present invention resides in the provision of means for disengaging the clutch i3 incidental to a raising of the frame F. Such means in the present instance consists of an arm to which is pivotally connected a yoke or fork it which straddles the shaft 35 and is formed on one side with a cam hump ill' engageable with a ange i3 on the free end of the hub of the sprocket 3Q when the shaft [l5 is rocked in a clockwise *direction to thereby shift the sprocket Sil against the action of spring for disengaging the clutch elements 43.

Itwill thus be seen that incidental to a raising of the frame F clutch 43 is disengaged so that drive from the axle il to the chain'is interrupted thereby preventing an operation of the mechanism which controls the feeding of the seed from the boxes 5 to the shoes 5.

Also to enable-the operator to ascertain the presence or absence of seed in the shoes each of said shoes E is provided at the lower rear portion thereof with a sight window W.

It is thought that the utility and advantages of the invention will be apparent and that from the foregoing description a corn planter equipped in accordance with the present invention will permit of the feeding of the seed at intervals and a marking of the hill simultaneously with the dropping of the seed, all of which may be accomplished in a positive and ecient manner and without requiring any resort to a check-row wire.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new isz- In a check row corn planter, a main frame,

`traction wheels supporting said frame, an auxiliary frame vertically adjustable on the main frame, seed feeding devices supported by the auxiliary frame and including a seed dropping boot movable toward and from the ground by adauxiliary frame to move the boot away from the ground.

CHESTER RAYMOND WHITE. 

